Page 203 - PERSIAN 3 1883_1890

*
35
RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AOEKCY FOR 188i-S5.
TIic Turks could now no longer conceal from themselves the evident superiority of the
Portuguese at sea; their efforts against them hitherto, so far from breaking: up the Portuguese
power” had had, on the contrary, the effect of extending its prestige. Had the Turks been
able to foresee more clearly the dire results in the future to their empiro from the change in
the course of trade effected by the Portuguese they would doubtless have put forth the utmost
of their strength in the East and combined with the Asiatics to expel their rivals from
India.
Being then in the plenitude of their strength, they might thus possibly have kept
Europeans out of the Indian Ocean for many a year to come. The battlo of Lepanto had not
yet been fought, and the Turks were still supposed to be invincible at sea in Europe ; but not
even the genius of Suliman the Great, who now reigned at Staraboul, 6eems to have grasped
the vital importance to himself of crushing the Portuguese enterprise in the East. He struck
one final blow at them, however, before relinquishing the contest and leaving the Portuguese
to enjoy the fruits of their discoveries and monopoly. It so happened that this final struggle
was also the most hardly contested acd decisive sea fights in which the Turks had till then
been engaged. It foreshadowed the disasters of Lepanto, and is described by the Turkish
historian as a greater affair than the battle between Barbarossi and the allied fleet under the
Spanish Admiral Andrea Doria, fought off Prevesa in the Mediterranean in 1538.
The remainder of Moorad’s ill-fated squadron formed the nucleus of the new fleet, the
organization and command of which were entrusted by Saltan Suliman to the Capudan of
Egypt, Sidi Ali-bia-Hoosain. At the close of the year 1553, having arrived at Basra by way of
Aleppo and Mosul, Sidi Ali at once commenced his preparations, and in July 1554 set sail from
Basra. The Governor of this city,Mustapha Pasha, who had been despatched by the Porte with
a frigate to Hormuz, had informed the Capudan Sidi Ali that the infidels had only four ships,
and the Capudan, expecting an easy conquest, pressed on in eager search through the Straits of
Mcsscndom. The Portuguese fleet was first sighted by him off the port of Khor Eakan; but
it was much larger than be bad been led to anticipate, for it consisted of three galleons, four
barges, six guard-ships, and twelve gr.lletas. The story of the fight that ensued is thus told
by Mitchell from the Turkish of Hajji Khalifa
u The Hosiers immediately hoisted their colours, weighed anchor, and got in readiness all their warlike
machines. With flags hoisted and sails spread, and looking in confidence to the Supreme Being, they set up
Mahammadan shouts and commenced an attack the fierceness of which baffles description. By the favour of God
their Ere struck one or the Portuguese galleons, which was wrecked on th» Island of Fak-al-Aaad. They fought
bravely till nightfall, when the Capudaa hoisted the lights. The infidels, however, Ered a gun as the signal of
retreat and fled to Hormuz. Thus by the favour of God the victory wu left to tho Moslems, who, favoured by
the winds, departed nat d«y for the citj of Khor F.ikan, where the troops took in a supply of fresh water, and
after 17 days' sailing arrived in the neighbourhood of Muscat and Kilh&L
M On the morning of tho 26th Ramzin (26th August 1554) the Captain of Goa, the son of the Governor, left
the harbour of Murat, and with his barges, guard*ships, and galleon, rith their mainsails spread and colour*
f»yiCS. sailed against the Moslems, who, still trusting in Gol, remained near the shore prepared for battle. The
eneny’s barges first cane up and attacked the galleys, when a sharp fire was opened on both sides and a furious
engigement ensued. The infidels then began to shower down their hand-grenades from the maintops upon tbs
galleys, one of which and a bargo which was near it they burnt by throwing a bomb into the galley: £ts
gallrys and as many barges were driven ashore and lost Another barge was driven ashore by the violence with
which tho wind beat against it and was lost At length the sailors and the troops on both sides were exhausted,
the farmer being unable to poll at the oars and the latter to work the guns any longer: they were obliged there­
fore to cast anchor; bat even in this position they fought for some time with springe to the cables. They wort
finally obliged to abandon their boats. Elmshah Reis Kara Mustaffa and Kalfat Mu mi, the commanders of tbe
lost galleys, and Durzi Mnstaffa Beg, the commander of the volnnteors, with about 200 Egyptian soldiers, reached
tbe shore in safety and afterwards returned to the fleet, bringing with ttam many Arabs to the assiatanoe of
the Moslems. The izfidels also rocover<d their men who were in the barges which had been driven ashore.
This battle was even greater than that between Kbair-ud-Deen and Andrea Doria. Few soldiers ars known to
have ever bcon engaged in such a fight. At last, when night approached, a strong gale began to blow, and
of the barges threw out two stream anchors; but the men on hoard were so overcome with fatigue that they were
obliged to stand out from tbe shore and sail before the wind. In this way they came to the eo&at of Bar Jaak,
where, finding plenty of Bca, they succeeded iu reaching Buodar Shah bar in Mokran. Hero they took in water,
and by tho direction of a pilot reached Bunder G wadur."
The Turks, in short, wore completely defeated, and there was no mincing matters. The
decisive effect of the victory is shown by the fact that they never more confronted the
Portuguese Navy in the Indian Ocean.
Sidi Ali, after some adventures, was wrooked in a storm and had to abandon his vessels at
Surat, from whence he returned to Constantinople overland four years afterwards,
Th»s notable sea-fight took place off Fahil, a rocky islet about 5 miles from Muscat, which
was henceforth called by the Portuguese the 11 Island of Victory,"